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Thursday, May 18

Peace. Out.

I promised The Pie I would go out at least one night while she was gone.  If I avoid human contact for too long, I tend to be flinchy when the family gets home.  It's just one of my "things."

So, I had a pretty good handle thus far getting ready for the Pisgah 111k and the Trans-Sylvania Epic by the end of Tuesday night.  Figured I'd hit up The Spoke Easy casual Wednesday ride... but it was changing up a bit for the Ride of Silence on this occasion.  Leaving Spoke at 6:15PM (or so) to Blue Blaze to meet up with everyone else.

I took this opportunistic window for what it was and beelined it after work to Birdsong for my Bicycle Benefits free beer...

plus one.

And a healthy supper of a bowl of nuts.

Bolt out of there in time to get live the High Life at Spoke... and mebbe another... because Kevin is in charge and his beer was still full.

I got asked to help cork intersections with the Spoke guys.  I don't know the route, but I do know how to sprint from the back to the front of a group and stand in front of cars, so okay.  We make haste to Blue Blaze and get there in time for another Bicycle Benefits freebie (I don't understand how this is a thing).

And then we prepare for the corkings.

And so the Ride of Silence goes with more of an interval theme that I had planned on, and five miles later, I'm a little beat.

photo cred: Ann from Bike Law
Free pint courtesy of Bike Law NC and then into the semi-darkness with a blinky that is inexplicably ded.

Get home and eat the Brussel sprouts that a "smart me" made the night before.  Prepare to get into the shower and then remember the loaf of homemade banana bread in the freezer and proceed to hack it apart with a knife while watching Archer.  I'm covered in crumbs.  I might be naked... that's as prepared to get in the shower as I got.  I end up going to bed, still possibly crumby, definitely unbathed.

I wake up the next day, seven minute breakfast, look at Facebook.

Chris Cornell is dead.

Shit.

I've never really been affected by the death of a celebrity.  I mean, I remember when I bought Prince's 1999 from a kid on the school bus.  He had a backstory as to where this new cassette came from, but looking back, I know he stole it.  You see, kids, back then, you had to go to a store to steal music.

I know.

Just like many white kids that thought they could dance, Prince's music was a big part of the soundtrack to my life.

Anyways, Chris Cornell's big years were right before I shut my ears off to the world of music.  It was the second period of time when flannel became cool again in my lifetime.  Anyways, his voice occupies more space on my Ishuffle thing that I wear when racing/riding than any other.  The Pie and I have spent many a peaceful afternoon on the hammock, drinking beer, listening to this:

So, this just sucks.

The thing is, I always felt like he was the kinda guy who had a hard time shutting his eyes or turning off his brain.  Hard not to get that "tortured genius" feel when you listen to him scream.

All I can think is that I hope he found some peace.

1 comment:

TheMutt said...

Well said little buddy.